County club Nottinghamshire‘s Chief Executive has reportedly dismissed claims that the club deliberately prepared a lifeless Trent Bridge pitch for England’s first Test with India. Some critics of the game have suggested that the pitch has been designed to ensure that the match goes the distance to maximise revenues.

According to The BBC, Lisa Pursehouse said that the idea that as a chief executive she would put pressure on to produce any sort of pitch is a bit silly, adding that at Trent Bridge all they want is good cricket pitches. England paceman James Anderson said that the pitch was ‘frustrating’ to bowl on and described his side as ‘amazing hosts’ for preparing a pitch that was so similar to the conditions India batsmen would be accustomed to.

Pursehouse admitted head groundsman Steve Birks might have made an error in his pitch preparation, a point conceded by Birks himself on Nottinghamshire’s website, but insisted that judgement on the pitch should be reserved until later in the match, and promised that an ‘inquest’ would be held if the game petered out to a draw.

Pursehouse said that they have got a good track record for result pitches and that’s what they are looking to achieve.

First Published on July 11, 2014, 10:26 pmLast updated on July 11, 2014, 10:26 pm